BLACK HISTORY MONTH THROWBACK SPOTLIGHT: Rick James
There's more to Rick than just a Dave Chappelle skit.
Rick James knew how to party. Like, SERIOUSLY party.
You have heard the stories, you have watched the Chappelle’s Show skits, and most of the craziness, it’s TRUE. But through all the bravado, booze, and babes, Rick James had some SERIOUS talent. Songs like “Give It To Me Baby” and “Mary Jane” are playlist favorites for many, and of course, “Super Freak” was a hit in its own right before it got a second life. Its appearance in “U Can’t Touch This” as the sample for MC Hammer won Rick his only Grammy award for Best R&B Song in 1991 for songwriting. He also produced hit songs throughout the ’80s for Smokey Robinson, The Mary Jane Girls, and Eddie Murphy’s one hit song, “Party All The Time,” among others.
Had Rick’s demons not gotten the best of him, who knows where his musical talent could have taken him, especially as a producer.
While I love the Chappelle’s Show skits for a good laugh, this video from Grunge might be a little more “real” when it comes to the highs – no pun intended – and the lows of Rick’s life.
